Onion Price Hike: BRS, Congress Attack Centre

Hyderabad: With the price of onions rising just as the state gets set for Assembly elections, political parties as well are consumers are giving it a political twist.

The price has risen from about Rs 20 a kg recently to Rs 75 per kg for the regular variety, Rs 100 for the white onions and  Rs 125 per kg for sambar onions.

Some questioned asked why the Central and state governments did not initiate steps to ensure that the price of the kitchen staple did not rise. They said the onus of controlling the spiraling price lay with the Centre, and the state government also should take measures.

It came as an opportunity for leaders of the Congress and the BRS to try and corner the BJP.

C. Rithika, a resident of S.R. Nagar in Sanathnagar constituency, a university employee, said: “I was stunned to see online grocers selling sambar onions for Rs 125 per kg, and regular onions for Rs 75 per kg. As onions are a kitchen staple,  politicians should reduce their prices.” She also pitched a demand to establish last mile connectivity for Metro Rail stations.

Anumula Geeta,  a contract employee with the defence minstry, said that onions she used onions in most curries and in pappu. "For me, onions are as important as tomatoes to prepare a meal,” she said.

Embasi Sanga Reddy, who runs a tiffins centre in Nampally, said that the rise in onion prices came at a difficult time. “We can’t raise our rates as we will lose customers. The cost of a commercial gas cylinder was recently reduced to Rs 1,950 from Rs 2,250. But it used to cost Rs 650 when the BJP came to power 10 years back,” he said.

“My dosa earlier cost Rs 20 and is now being sold for Rs 35 but I am unable to save money like I could do earlier. Our margins have fallen. Before the lockdown I used to hire eight workers. I now have just two,” Sanga Reddy said.

In Adilabad, Kodapa Ayyubai of Salpalaguda of Adilabad Rural mandal said they were returning to the village from Rythu Bazaar of Adilabad without buying onions.

Onions retailer Sheik Zameer of Adilabad said he was purchasing white onions for Rs 80 per kg and selling it for Rs 100 kg. For red onions it was Rs 70 kg and Rs 80 respectively. A trader said white onions were being sold for Rs 71 at the Nanded market.

K. Nagesh of Adilabad said, “The soaring prices of essential commodities, not only of onions, will have a negative impact on the political parties in the elections.”